Starter box batteries
 

I have two old SMD/Mugen style boxes(2x motors..) I have always used two nimh stickpacks, but was wondering how to use a lipo with them. Could I just use XT60 to Tamiya plug adapters? What size lipo - 3S or 4S? Or 2S per plug since a normal stick pack is like 7.2V?

I don't want to have to solder or rewire or otherwise do a bunch of fiddling. But if I could just buy an adapter and use lipos I already have (lots of 4S and 3S...) I'd consider it, instead of buying more stick packs.

Thanks.

Edit - OK, I see I was right.. It'd have to be 2x 2S...

https://www.amainhobbies.com/protek-...k-4500/p212522

I guess if to use a 4S I just have to solder one or two wires I'd do it.. I have a ton of 4S lipos...(planes and quads etc..) But don't have any 2S, except very small for micro quads..

You can use I 3 cell lipo. with a much larger amp load connector..Make a jumper for the battery you connect closer to the + side of motors.. xt60 and Tamiya are not that great .in my mind.

All my lipos are XT60...(except a couple car lipos with Deans...)

No clue how to make a jumper...

OK to make a jumper take a male plug or what ever plug comes from your battery and hooks up to your starter box...take a short piece of 12 ga wire brae both ends and bare them.then tin them add 2 small pieces of heat shrink tube now solder them from + connector pole to - connector pole. wait a few and slide heat shrink over connector and solder joint.. connector or jumper made. put on starter box now your ready to connect a lipo to get your nitro up n running.ill try to add pic later

on a deans plug it will be the female on Tamiya im not sure but its what ever plug goes from battery ti starter box wires. sorry dont have a jumper and not walking out to pole barn to find 1

Don't think I've got any 12awg wire laying around, but I do have some XT60s which came with wires attached, so I assume 12awg. Anyway, I was just searching and couldn't find any clear pics about how to do it. If it really just takes soldering a simple wire I should be able to do it.. I'm a nitro and nimh guy ha ha... And even though I've been flying (mostly PNP) planes and quads for a while, electronics is not really my thing..

So yeah, some pics would be appreciated. Thanks..


Edit - So, looking at this pic, I just remove the one-to-two connector, and solder on an XT60 where the one Tamiya plug is, or? So basically just removing the series adapter and changing the plug?


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...6dcb9f60e4.jpg

Ok, got it... Snip off the Tamiya plug and solder in the XT60. I tested it with an adapter and it worked. I assume a Tamiya plug can't handle 4S though... Or can it?
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rct...b1f092daa9.jpg

no to handle 4 cell lipo its the amps is all.. and yes to solder xt69 in Tamiya plugs place..

https://www.rctech.net/forum/nitro-o...ctor-ok-2.html

I bet Tamiya would work - for a starter box that isn't being run for long periods at high power..

Still, I'd have to order a connecter, but I have the XT60 right there. I really am not fond of soldering though... :rolleyes: Oh well, guess I have to.. I am thankful that it will save me from having to buy more stick packs..(mine are all like 10 years old - or older...)

do what you want its all yours even if it goes up in flames..

Just replace the Tamiya connector with a Deans (or XT60, it will work as well) with the wiring as in your picture. Even if you hate soldering, do it once properly and you're done with it. When I began with nitro I left the Tamiya and eventually they started smoking and melting - unpleasant to see.

Don't use the adapters, with a single connector you can use both a single 4S pack or 2x2S hardcase packs (in this case you need an opposite Deans or XT60 with bullet plugs on one pair of +/- from different packs, and a jumper cable to connect the other opposite +/-, just as you would to power an ebuggy).

the tamiya connectors struggle in these applications because of load draw, especially when a engine is tight/cold.

they are OK for anything made and manf back in the 80s-90-00 but certainly not now - i believe they should not come on starter box's, guess it might depend on the factory, some box's come with deans now.

I converted the Ofna blue box to single Deans plug. Well, I say I converted it but in actuality the previous owner robbed the plug wiring off it. In any case, I bought the Reedy lipo 4S pack that's intended for starter boxes, and was surprised when it showed up because it's about the size of a pack of vending machine peanut butter crackers. Cranks my .21 Novarossi engines all day with no problems though.

I'm going to solder on an XT60. I have tons of 4S lipos, from 1500-3700.. I'll probably connect 2x 1300 4s quad lipos for 2600mah, since I haven't been flying quads much.. I'll just put some velcro in there. Plus I have a parallel adapter.. So just one snip and solder job, and I should be good to go.